Container and shielding therefor



April 3, 1951 E. H. BENSON CONTAINER AND SHIELDING THEREFOR Filed July 12, 1948 JM EN TOR. Exwesf f/ 597.50 8 Y7 4 77'0RNEK Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER AND SHIELDING THEREFOR Ernest H. Benson, Kansas City, Mo. Application July 12, 1948, Serial No. 38,227

, 21 Claims. (01.22041) The present inventionrelates in general to the I art of shielding objects, and it deals more particularly with the shielding of barrels, drums and similar containers.

The object of the invention, broadly speaking,

is to provide a novel form of shielding which is rugged and efiective yet simple and economical to manufacture.

A further aim is to provide shielding of the character indicated wherein the object to be proagainst shocks.

A further aim is -to provide a guard about the object which facilitates handling of the object and which may easily be repaired or replaced tected is resiliently supported and cushioned:

whenever damaged through rough handling.

The manner in which the guard is secured to the object is an important feature of the invention.

A further aim of the invention is to provide an unique, shock-mounted shipping drum or like:

container, an important feature residing in the I shape or configuration of the container and in the cooperative relationship between the con-- tainer and the shielding thereabout.

According to the invention I provide a pair of rigid sleeves encircling the opposite ends of the drum, which sleeves are maintained radially. spaced from the drum by resilientcushions; the sleeves extend beyond the ends of the drum and. ,areprovided with outwardly extending annular beads not only protecting the central section of the drum but also forming rings upon which the drum may be supported and rolled. Novel arjrangements are provided for holding the sleeves 'and the resilient cushioning members in place,.

' illustration.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section correspond respective, shields in any desired fashion, the

ceal same. .or rirnadaptedto receive hook-shaped ends 30 provided on the tie plates, as shown. At the 2 7 ing to Fig. 3 but showing the partsas they are displaced for purposes of assembly or disassemblY. V

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the drum or barrel I0 is made up of two generally cup-shaped parts Illa and Illb placed mouth-tomouth-and welded together along the annular seam- [2. The resultant container is symmetrical about aplane passing through its center normal to the axis of the container, but the weld seam preferably is positioned somewhat ofi center as shown, so that the larger part [0a will accommodate the bung fitting M in a position near the center yet spaced laterally .from the weld seam. 'The ends of the drum are crown-shaped, making it capable of withstanding higher internal pressures than if they were flat, and the side walls. curve smooth into the ends, the interior of the contairier.v being entirelyfree of corners and sharpangles suchas normally tend to trap sediment and resist. cleaning. v

, Around the opposite ends of thedrum, herein- .after sometimes referred to as the head of the :drum and the foot of the drum, are circular shieldsor sleeves l5 and [6. These are larger in diameter than theportions of the drum they encircle, and each is maintained radially spaced from the outside ofthe drum by an annular cushioning ring 20 seated between complimentary op- .posed olisets 22 and 24 in the drum andits surrounding sleeve. Thecushioning rings are made of deformable resilient material such as neoprene,

rubber or the like.

, The shields about the head and foot or the drum are connected to one another and held togelher by longitudinal tie plates 26. These are spaced equally. around the mid-section of the drum; and, although four are shown, it will be understood that any desired number may be employed. Each tie platecan be secured to the preferred arrangement being illustrated in the drawings. There it will be seenthat the adjacent ends of the sleeves l6 and I8 are flared outwardly with the raw edge 28 on each sleeve rolled smoothly back under the flared portion to con- This forms a reversed annular lip same time, the flared portion forms a rounded annularbead-SZ, the beads on the two shields serving togetherasrolling rings to support the drum and facilitate rolling thereof when its axis ,is'horizontah J ,The p positeor outer-most end of each shield is provided with a rolled rim 34 reinforcing the shield and concealing the raw edge. These rims lie in planes normal to the axis of the drum and beyond the rounded ends of the drum.

Attachment of the tie plates 26 to the end shields is effected by forcing the two shields axially toward one another in a suitable press or jig, not shown. This deforms the resilient cushioning rings as indicated'in Fig. 4 and permits the hooks 30 on the tie plates to be passed over lip 28. When properly positioned the pressure on the end shields is released whereupon the cushioning rings return to their normal shape forcing the shields apart and causing'the hooks 30 to be retained or locked on the lip 28' in the manner shown in Fig. 3. V M I Thus assembled, the cushioning rin'g'ss'efve to maintain the parts in interlocked condition and also serve to resiliently support the barrel or drum H) in. spaced relation to the end shields and tie plates. The shields extend beyond the ends of the drum, guarding same against injury due to dropping or other roughtreatment, while therolling rings similarly protect thecentral section of the vessel. Accordingly even though abuse and rough handling are to be expected, it" nevertheless is feasible to make .thedrum of material having littleinherent resistance of impact; for example, there may be employed a metal such as magnesium which is desirable because of its lightness and, at times, because it is chemically inert as, to the material which it is desired .to. carry in the container. The shields l6 and I8 naturally are made of stronger material such assteel.

If either end shield should'become dented in use, it may easily be removed. for repair, ora fresh shield may at once be'substituted therefor in order to minimize thetime that the .drum is out of service. Removalis effectedsimply by forcing one end shield toward the other (see Fig. 4) until the hook shaped ends 30 of the tie plates ca-nbe freed from theinwardly turnedlip or rim 28, the damaged end piece then being withdrawn from the drum. The manner iIl-WhlCh the same or another shield subsequently is reattached to the tie plates has already been-described. I

The use of shields which extend beyond the ends of the drum and which provide rolling rings therefor makes it-possiblefor the drum to have crown-shaped ends and to be free of corners and sharp angles tending to trap sediment and foreign-matters Thus the vessel is easy to'clean and to maintain clean. Although the ends are outwardly dished or dome shaped, the assembled nit will stand on end supported by the shield; and one drum may easily be stacked onanother.

Each cushioning ring 2 is provided with drain slots 36 in order to prevent moisture or sediment from collecting inthe annular space within the upper sleeve when the barrel stands on end. This is important in that it prevents distortion due to freezing of moisture" between sleeve and drum, and minimizes rusting or other corrosive action.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the 7 objects of the invention have been accomplished,

the structure disclosed being :well adapted to attain all the'aims andends hereinbefore set forth and having other advantages which are obvious I and which are inherent to the structure;

It will be understood that'flcertain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and is within the scope of the appended claims.

Inasmuch as various modifications of the irivention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as il lustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a container, a pair of sleeves encirclingopposite endsof the container, means onthe container holding the sleeves apart in axially spaced relation, a plurality of longitudinal tension links bridging the space between the two sleeves, said links spaced circumferentially about the container and each link having its opposite ends .detachably connected to the respective sleeves toprevent same from moving apart said holding means ccmprising opposed parts on said container and sleeves, and a resilient deformable buner between said parts.

2. A combination as in claim l wherein at least one of the sleeves-projects beyond the end 6f the container. I 1h 1 a,

3. A combination as in claim 1 whereiiljthe spaced inner ends of; the two sleeve s are flared radially to prov de rolling ringsfor the container.

4. In combination, a container, a pair of sleeves encircling opposite ends of the container, means on the contamer holding said sleevesin axially spaced relation, the spaced inner ends of the sleeves being flared radially outward with, the extreme edge of each sleeve doubled back under the. flared portion, and tension links between two sleeves preventingthem from movingapart, each link having hook-shaped ends adaptedto hook over the doubled back edge of thesleeves.

5. A combination asm claim 4 wherein said holding means comprises opposed parts on said container and sleeves and a resilient deformable buffer between said parts 6.. In combination, a container, apair of axially spaced sleeves encircling opposite ends of the container, resilientspacers between the sleeves and container tomaintain the sleeves radially spaced from the container,- each spacer engaged on the side farthest from the center of the container by a shoulder on the sleeve and engaged on the side nearestthe center of the container by a shoulder su bcombinations. 'Thisis contemplated by and-- on the container,- and a plurality of longitudinal tensionlinks bridging the space between the two sleeves, said links spaced circumferentially about the container and each link having its opposite ends detachabl'y connected to the respective sleeves to preventsame from. moving apart.

7. A combination as in claim 6 whereirieach sleeve has a radially prjectingannular bead forming a rolling ring for the containerI 8; In combination, a container, a-sleeveencircling one end of the container, resilient spacing meanspetween ala sleeveand said container to maintain thesleev'e radially spaced from'tl'ie cohtamer, said means engagedon the side nearest the end oftheco'ritairier by a shoulder 0n the sleeve anq' he'agea on the siaelne re t the center of the container by a shoulder on the container,

longitudinal tension. links circumferentially spaced about the container, each link detachably connected atone end to said sleeve, and azconnection between the container and the other end of each link anchoringthe links against longitudinal movement toward said one end or the container; I, d

9. A combination as in claim 8' wherein the coin-lection betweeneach link-arid the sleeve-comprises interlocking hooks on the link and sleeve.

10. A combination as in claim 8 wherein said sleeve projects beyond the end of the container.

11. In combination, a container having an enlarged central portion with an annular offset on either side thereof, a pair of sleeves encircling the opposite endsof the container, each sleeve having an annular ollset opposed to one of theannularoiisets on the container, a pair of rings of resilient deformable material each confined between one pair of opposed offsets, and means linking the two sleeves to one another.

12. A combination as in claim 11 wherein the spaced inner ends of the two sleeves are flared radially to provide rolling rings for the container. I s

13. A combination as in claim 11 wherein at least one of the sleeves projects beyond the end of the container.

14. A combination as in claim 11 wherein each of said rings contains drain apertures at spaced intervals about its circumference.

15. In combination, a container, a pair of spaced apart sleeves encircling opposite ends of the container, a plurality of tension links spaced circumferentially around the container, each link bridging the space between said sleeves and having hooks at its opposite ends, means on each sleeve to receive said hooks, and resilient members between the respective sleeves and the container maintaining the sleeves spaced away from the container and urging said sleeves away from one'another thereby to maintain said hooks engaged with said receiving means.

16. A combination as in claim 15 wherein said tension links are spaced radially away from said container.

17. In combination, a container, a pair of spaced apart sleeves encircling opposite ends of the container, hooks on said sleeves, a plurality of tension links spaced circumferentially around the container, each link bridging the space hetween said sleeves and having means atits' opposite ends to receive said hooks on the respective sleeves, and resilient members between the respective sleeves and the container maintaining the sleeves spaced away from the container and urging said sleeves away from one another thereby to maintain said hooks engaged'with said receiving means.

18. A combination as in claim 17 wherein said tension links are spaced radially away from said container. 7

19. In combination, a container having an'enlarged central portion and smaller end portions each separated from the central portion by an annular offset, a pair of spaced apart sleeves encircling the respective end portions of the container, the inner ends of said sleeves being flared radially outward over said offsets, a plurality of tension links spaced circumferentially around the enlarged central portion of the container, each link bridging the space between said sleeves and having hooks at its opposite ends, means on each sleeve to receive said hooks, and a pair of resilient deformable rings each confined between one of said ofisets on the container and the superposed fiared portion of one sleeve, said rings maintaining said sleeves spaced radially from the container and urging the sleeves away from one another thereby to maintain said hooks engaged with said receiving means.

i 20. In combination, a container having an enlarged central portion and smaller end portions each separated from the central portion by an annular oiiset, a pair of spaced apart sleeves encircling the respective end portions of the container, the inner ends of said sleeves being flared radially upward over said offsets and having hooks formed thereon, a plurality of tension links spaced circumferentially around the enlarged central portion of the container, each link bridging the space between said sleeves and having means at its opposite ends for receiving said,

hooks on the respective sleeves, and a pair of resilient deformable rings each confined between one of said offsets on the container and the superposed flared portion of one sleeve, said rings maintaining said sleeves spaced radially from the container and urging the sleeves away from one another thereby to maintain said hooks engaged with said receiving means.

21. In combination, a container, means shielding said container on all sides, said means consisting of a plurality of separable shield elements covering different parts of the container, interlinked hooks on the several shield elements to connect them togethenand resilient spacers between certain of the elements and the container maintaining said elements spaced apart from the container at all points, said resilient spacers also applying forces on said shield elements to maintain said interlinked hooks under tension.

' ERNEST I-I. BENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name 1 Date 1,441,674 Foster Jan. 9, 1923 2,226,109 Soper Dec. 24, 1940 2,376,831 Stearns May 22, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,068 Great Britain of 1891 288,966 Great Britain June '28, 1928 

